Ultra X4 1050W Power Supply Review

Introduction:

Ultra Products manufacture a wide range of products including case fans and lights, enclosures, DVD products, hard drive coolers, memory, memory coolers and power supplies. Part of Systemax Inc., head office in New York, they are probably better known for their computer power supplies and were the first company to produce a fully modular power supply, the Ultra X-Connect 500W.

This time around OCC are taking a close look at a newly introduced power supply, the Ultra X4 1050W from Ultra Products. The Ultra X4 1050W is a fully modular unit with plenty of power and all the connectors needed to power any dual graphics card gaming machine. Let's take a closer look and see how well it performs.

Closer Look:

The packaging of the Ultra X4 1050W doesn't really follow any theme with its gloss finish and lavish use of colour photographs. The front panel carries an Ultra X4 logo which is repeated across all the other panels, a photograph of the power supply and illustrations showing all the connectors, types and quantities. Most of the text, in English and French, tells me this power supply could be mainly aimed at the USA and Canadian markets. The front panel also tells the prospective buyer that the power supply is 80 plus certified, uses active power factor correction, is quiet and fully modular.

The side panels, both with the Ultra X4 logo, provide information on the box contents and a few brief paragraphs describing the thermal protection and use of a 135mm fan, hassle free fully modular design and warranty policy again in both English and French.

The top of the box repeats much of the information given on the front panel and a plain black base.

Lift the lid and the first thing you see is the user manual. On the left is the top foam protector for the power supply with a cut-out containing cable ties, screws and the anti-vibration mounting gasket and on the right a black cardboard box containing the modular cable set.

Top foam protector removed to reveal the Ultra X4 1050W power supply in a protective plastic bag.

The packaging of the Ultra X4 1050W offers good protection for transit but general information on the more technical aspects of the power supply are lacking. There isn't a features list which I'm sure most prospective buyers, or at least the computer enthusiasts, look for when buying a power supply. Everything needed is included in the box with one or two extras not supplied by some other manufacturers, anti-vibration mounting gasket and power supply mounting thumb screws if required.